PROMINENT Isle of Wight businessman Peter Tomlinson is behind bars after admitting a string of horrific child sex offences.

The paedophile appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court for sentencing today (Friday) and was given an 18-year prison term.

He had previously admitted 12 charges, but eight more were admitted to today - described as a representative sample of many other offences uncovered.

He had previously admitted paying a mother in the Philippines, over the internet, to commit sexual acts on her children, aged ten and 12, and paying her for indecent photos of the children. This abuse lasted across a two to three year period.

It later transpired there were several other victims, and eight more charges were put to Tomlinson today.

The internet child abuser initially tried to dismiss his crimes as his "escape from reality" when first questioned by officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The 63-year-old was remanded in custody at an initial hearing at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court on November 18 and remained detained ever since.

The former president of the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce was charged as part of a NCA investigation into child sexual abuse across the world.

Tomlinson paid to watch live-streams of children being sexually abused abroad, and complained if it wasn't quite what he had asked for.

He also admitted making 47 category A photos, 148 category B photos and 353 Category C photos.

Tomlinson paid £5,511, via 127 transactions to accounts in the Philippines, between May 2015 and April 2017 – for live-streamed child sexual abuse. He also paid in the region of £10,000 in additional monies, some of which went on adult porn.

In one later exchange, in January 2019, Tomlinson said he would pay the woman £7.66 if she performed a sexual act on the girl.

Investigators unearthed proof of thousands of messages between Tomlinson and a Filipino facilitator – who has been arrested and the children safeguarded.

They exchanged 4,166 lines of chat on Skype – 358 indicated to be video calls and 3,809 text messages.

The newer charges, pleaded to today, included seven counts of paying for the sexual services of a girl aged under 13 ­— with one including bestiality and a five-year-old child.

He is also charged with paying for the sexual services of a girl aged under 18.

The charges relate to various dates between January 1, 2017 and October 10, 2019.

Court focus: Read more about Tomlinson's sentence

A prominent member of the Catholic church in Cowes, Tomlinson was the owner and director of Betapak and children's soft play business JR Zone. JR Zone has since changed hands and is under new ownership.

He was also chief executive of IW business Education Destination, which arranges bespoke school visits to the Isle of Wight.

Elisabeth Bussey Jones, representing Tomlinson, said today he "expects nothing other than a sentence he quite rightly deserves."

He pleaded guilty and had no previous offences.

"He was a person of considerable standing and respectability in the community. That has been quite rightly entirely lost. He accepts responsibility of his actions and the consequences that follow.

"He finds it hard to recognise the person he became by committing these offences. He recognises the very serious nature of the matters and makes no excuse.

"He is aware of the suffering of the victims, their families and the wider community in that part of the world.

"He does not shirk that he has to bear guilt and shame."

Ms Bussey Jones said Tomlinson was under almost 24 hour supervision due to concerns over his mental health and he had previously made a serious attempt on his life, only saved when his wife found him in the garage suffering carbon monoxide poisoning.

She said Tomlinson had bought shame on his own family, who knew nothing about the offences.

He had given away his business interests so "others that knew nothing of his offending behaviour" would not suffer and jobs of various employees would not be lost.  

Find out more about Tomlinson and his business affairs

  • Helpline: Child protection charity The Lucy Faithfull Foundation runs Stop It Now!
  • Call 0808 1000 900
  • Confidential advice to anyone concerned about their own or someone else’s behaviour towards children

Read more: the paedophiles whose crimes shocked the Isle of Wight in 2020